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What type of allergies do you need to take into account when eating chocolate ?

True cocoa allergies (the main ingredient in chocolate) are rare1. However, ingredients that contain allergens are often added to chocolate. For instance, milk and white chocolate contain milk powder which can be a cause of allergies. The use of soy lecithin in chocolate can also be problematic to people with soy allergies. Other examples of allergens that are sometimes added to chocolate are peanuts, nuts, berries and wheat.In many countries, it is mandatory for food producers to clearly indicate allergenic substances in the ingredients list of their products. Therefore, it is highly recommended that people suffering from allergies carefully read all product labels.

In some cases, it is possible that traces of allergens may be present in a chocolate product even when they are not used as an ingredient. This could happen when a chocolate is produced using equipment that is also used to produce products that contain allergens. This is called ‘allergen cross-contamination’. Some food producers add the warning ‘may contain traces of [name of the allergen]’ to their product packaging when a product could be contaminated in this way. In case of any doubt, it is strongly recommended that anybody suffering from an allergy contact the food manufacturer for further information.

As at Belcolade no nuts are processed, nor used, Belcolade chocolates are nut free!